With the next women’s major championship of 2021, the U.S. Women’s Open, set to kick off on June 3 at Olympic Club in San Francisco, one fan of the women’s game will take a keen interest.
For those who don’t remember, Webb Simpson shot 1-over par for the week on Olympic’s famed Lake Course in the 2012 U.S. Open to beat Graeme McDowell and Michael Thompson by a shot. Simpson is excited to see major championship golf return to the Bay area gem. And he has some insight into what the game’s best women can expect.
“I talked to (USGA director of player relations) Jason Gore about it a few weeks ago, kind of the approach shots I had into the greens and kind of where they're going to try to give the women similar approach shots,” Simpson said at the Wells Fargo Championship in his hometown of Charlotte, NC. “If I was hitting a 6-iron, (the USGA hopes to) set them up to where it's going to be similar for (the women) because it was such a perfect test.”
Olympic is as known for those who lost there as those who won. Jim Furyk was leading in 2012 until he tugged a tee shot on 16, finished bogey, par, bogey and lost by two to Simpson. In the 1955 U.S. Open, Ben Hogan made a mess of the last hole and lost in a playoff to unknown and unheralded Jack Fleck. And in 1966, Arnold Palmer, looking for his second U.S. Open title and eighth major championship, led by seven shots but shot 39 on the final nine holes and lost to a charging Billy Casper.
“I was 1-over par (for the week),” Simpson said. “I don't know if (the USGA) goal is 1-under, even, or 1-over, but right in there is perfect. I think the difficulty of the golf course, men or women, is the length. It doesn't look that long on paper. But being in San Francisco, the ball goes nowhere. So, you're hitting these mid to long irons into these greens, some of them elevated. You need height and the greens are firm. It's just really hard to get the ball to stop.
“So, obviously the ladies' strength is accuracy, which will help them on a U.S. Open-style golf course. I think for them the key is going to be, can they hit their approach shots high enough to hold the greens? But I'm sure they will be prepared.”
Several of the LPGA Tour’s best have already been out to Olympic Club. Sei Young Kim visited last week. Marina Alex was there earlier this week. More will make the trip next week before heading to Kingsmill for the Pure Silk Championship.
“Yeah, it's such a fun course to play and a great course to watch as well,” Simpson said. “I'm excited to see it.”
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